132 thoughts on ““Do you think Appalachian women like me with steel in our backbones will yield?””

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People with disabilities, mobility problems, whatever have priority boarding, they are boarded first on aircraft of any airline, if they request that privilege. The usual way it works is first on and seated well before all the other passengers board, then last off at the destination.

Are veterans now going to shove ahead of people in wheelchairs, people with mobility aids, elderly people who need special help to board and other people with medical issues or disabilities so they can be seated first? I can’t see anyone wanting to do that or to treat people who need a bit of extra help to get on board in this way.

The priority boarding process allows people who need help for whatever reason to be accompanied to transport then driven to the aircraft. It gives time for ramps or lifts to be wheeled into place and then removed, and gives cabin staff plenty of time to seat people who may be disabled, frail or aged and to stow mobility aids before the rest of the passengers board. All this is seldom noticed because it’s done before the fit and able-bodied passengers are even called to board.

A question – does ScumMo have shares in a company that manufactures lapel pins? He’s certainly keen on handing them out.

So now the government wants to pay small business owners a subsidy to employ their own kids. Sheesh!

The Government Announced A One Nation Policy As Its Own This Week And No-One Noticed
It’s a $60 million apprentice scheme Pauline Hanson created so businesses will hire Aussie workers and not foreign visa holders.

Hanson hopes the program will be extended to include family businesses, so parents can employ their kids.

Labor senator Doug Cameron labelled the trial ill-conceived and expensive, and said it shows the government is beholden to One Nation. He thinks it won’t make up for the 140,000 apprenticeships lost since 2013.

“On top of its $3 billion cuts to vocational education, the Coalition’s last budget cut a further $270 million from apprenticeships as part of its deeply flawed Skilling Australians Fund.”

Cameron pointed to the figures from the Department of Jobs and Innovation said in Wagga Wagga, where McCormack and Cash made the trial announcement, there are 1,108 fewer apprentices in 2017 than when the Coalition came to office in 2013. In Cash’s home state of Western Australia there were 9,615 fewer apprenticeships in the same period.

Electrical Trades Union national secretary Allen Hicks thinks the “bush wage” trial has serious flaws that could adversely impact apprentices and the group training sector

[Morrison’s] remarks last week were probably more about signalling: the aged – particularly the better-off aged; those dreading Labor’s plan to abolish unused dividend franking credits – should see themselves as part of his party’s “base”, whose interests he represents and will fight for.

Renters of any age aren’t part of the base. Nor are the young part of it – and others with a greater risk of finding themselves on the dole – so their interests take a lower priority. Don’t say he didn’t tell you.

Of course, if Rob Oakeshott decides to run Cowper will be deluged with Nats ministers making extravagant promises they have no intention of keeping. (Been there, heard it all many times, know it’s always lies.) ScumMo probably won’t turn up, Libs never venture here.

The important question has to be who is paying for this electioneering? The mug taxpayers, of course.

It’s blatant electioneering, just look at the Liberal campaign bus.

Does the slogan mean ScumMo is not for all states, just for Queensland? Will that bus have to be repainted when it moves out of Queensland? As usual, ScumMo has not thought this through. He is making a habit of leaping in with rubbish slogans and brainfarts without bothering to consider the consequences.

https://t.co/1MBjoteWH3 I'm not saying this is corrupt. I'm not saying that a 3 day old unrefrigerated fish in a heatwave goes rotten from the head. I'm not saying the politicians & bureaucrats involved should be jailed. I'm not. #qldpol

The only thing she had wrong as “it’s a marketing ploy by Virgin”. It’s actually Murdoch pushing this via Foxtel, which is running “Thanks for your service” ads constantly.

I had no idea what the ads were for, it was too early for Remembrance Day when they started and they really could have been about anything, just a lot of Foxtel Australian stars making trite remarks while looking serious for the camera. I didn’t take much notice, I record everything I want to watch so I can skip through the ads.

ScoMo is electioneering in Queensland so that ABC concentrates on his antics rather than reporting on any Labor door stops, press releases, or reports on the Victorian election campaign

In The Age this morning it was reported that the greatest use of police resources was domestic violence. Police attend a family violence incident every 7 minutes. I am thinking of finding Matthew Guy and asking what he is doing to address this problem as he is so keen on Laura Norder

i don’t speak Ocker, I don’t know anyone who does. I am not interested in sports or sporting celebrities – or any other “celebrities”.

The hat makes him look like an old fart trying to hide his balding head. (Which is exactly what he is.)

The aggressive hands on hips fingers pointing at the tackle stance is something his minders probably told him makes him seem masculine and in charge. Does he/do they realise Turnbull was also very fond of that pose?

Yeah Scott Scomo Morrison is the BL fair dinkum cowboy peacock poser. Hands on hips fingers directing attention to genitals to display manliness. “Check me out , I’m the man.” Trying to look larger, more intimidating and macho. It is a display of dominance. BL. #auspolpic.twitter.com/zrBbUQVX4w

The poll was declared this morning for the #Wentworth by-election. This afternoon, the Writ containing the name of the Member elected, Dr Kerryn Phelps, was returned to the Speaker of the House of Representatives. #auspol

Virgin Australia has second thoughts on acknowledging veterans
Company says it will consult veterans’ groups after plan for priority boarding and public recognition gets a dusty reception

Virgin Airlines has backed-tracked on its plan to give Australian veterans a US-style public acknowledgement on their flights and priority when boarding, amid an outcry from veterans themselves.

Less than 24 hours after the announcement, Virgin released a statement saying it would now consult with veterans’ organisations over the plans and “be respectful” the process found public recognition was inappropriate.

The Virgin proposal was part of a campaign being driven by News Corp Australia – and backed by the prime minister, Scott Morrison. Using the hashtag #ThanksForServing, NewsCorp said it was fostering “a movement to acknowledge the service of veterans, past and present, and the sacrifice of their families”.

But it immediately drew fire from veterans and groups representing them as out of touch with Australian values.

Neil James, the head of the Australian Defence Association, called the move “tokenistic” and said it was a manifestation of American culture that was unlikely to translate well in Australia

It’s just another of his endless stream of stunts and announcements. Looks as if his tactic is to just keep trying things over and over in the hope that something captures the public’s imagination. It’s a very inefficient way to run a government, I have to say. What it mostly does is undermine what’s left of the electorate’s trust in the Coalition. But considering he doesn’t have a clue what he’s doing, it’s probably as good an tactic for him as anything else. At least this way he’s not actively buggering up anything vital. Passively, yes, but not actively.

We used have policy debates not all that long ago. Even Abbott had the odd go at it. But ever since Turnbull’s personal ratings started dropping it’s been non-stop government by distraction. Morrison won’t stop until he’s reduced every policy area to a meaningless and ridiculous slogan.

Aguirre As much as I respect your views have to disagree, ScoMo’s stunts are undermining Australian faith in all politicians and political parties. ScoMo’s incessant shallow campaigning is sucking attention away from solid policy announcements from Labor.

Don’t get me started about The Greens Leader Di Natale canvassing a coalition with the Liberals

Major Korean lenders have ruled out any role in funding #Adani's contentious Australian coal project, just months after the miner was reportedly in talks to win backing from lenders in Seoul. https://t.co/1S5Gv0VIrE

Liberal party elder Walter Villatora is campaigning to roll a sitting female NSW state MP tonight on a platform of supporting, promoting and engaging more women in the party. https://t.co/AxagiQUYQE ($) #nswpol

Johns, head of the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC), told a Senate Estimates committee last month that he had removed the acknowledgement of country from his email signature and asked his staff to do the same because it could make the ACNC look biased. The regulator oversees both Indigenous and non-Indigenous charities.

Johns told estimates that the wording, beginning “we acknowledge”, raised “the perception of bias that I’m not treating all charities the same”. He asked his staff to remove the acknowledgement or change it to begin “I acknowledge”.

In the same hearing, Johns refused to disavow controversial comments he made before being appointed to the ACNC, including a description of Aboriginal women as “cash cows”. While Labor senator Jenny McAllister suggested those comments were “fairly more directly relevant” to his role than the acknowledgement of country, Johns denied that he needed to do anything to “dispel any perception of bias” that his previous comments might have created.

When NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern met the Royals last week, she gifted Harry and Meghan a Shapeshifter album. When she discussed which songs soundtracked her election campaign at a music conference in August, she made sure to include Neil Finn and Don McGlashan.

Yet, and this should come as no surprise at this stage in his current run as the 30th Prime Minister of Australia, when Scott Morrison sat down to create a playlist on Spotify, he thought it would be a great opportunity to shit all over the nation he’s running.

The playlist, titled ‘Eighties plus’, features 146 songs. That’s 11 hours of music. But, of all the artists he could have highlighted in the playlist, albeit constricted to the ’80s, Scott Morrison could not think of more than one Australian song he’d like to feature.

That’s right, 92 artists, and only one of them Australian: Wa Wa Nee’s funk-pop gem ‘Stimulation’.

If you love and care about Australian music consider this. Scott Morrison released a play list on Spotify today. 146 songs, 92 artists, 11 hours of music. Guess how many Australian bands?#auspol#music#saveozmusic#laborloveslivemusic